Lens-surfacing machine



v 1,520,662 A. E. MAYNARD ET AL LENS SURFACING MACHINE Filed April 10,1919 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dec, 23, 1924.

INVENTORS w./ -.GUNNING A. E, MAYNARD ATTORNEYS Dec. 23, 1924. 1,520,662

A. E. MAYNARD ET AL LENS SURFACING MACHINE Filed April 1o, 1919 4sheets-sheet 2 Dec, 23, 1924.

A. E. MAYNARD ET AL LENS SURFAGING MACHINE Filed April lO, 1919 4Sheets-Sheet 5 76.17l B H H 1W Dec. 23, 1924. 1,520,662 A. E. MAYNARD ETAL LENS SRFACING MACHINE Filed Ap'rl lO. 1919 4 Shee'r,s.-Sheerl 4 FIG.VI

INVENTORS I BY Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,520,662 PATENT OFFICE.

.ALBERT E. MAYNARD AND WILLIAM A. GUNNNG, 0F SU''[EHIBIRfIDGtE,`MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNOBS T0 AMERICAN OTTICAL COMPANY, `0F SOUTHBRIDGE,MASSA- CHUSETTS, A. VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

LENS-SURFACING 'MACHINE Application led April 10, 1919. Serial No.289,067.

To all whoml t may concern:

Be 1t known that we, ALBERT E. MAY- NARD and l/VILLIAM A. GUNNING,citizens of the United States, residing at South-l bridge, inthe countyof Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Lens-Surfacing Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lens grindingmachines, and more particularly to -a machine for grinding spherical,cylindrical and torio" lenses either of the concave or convex type, theprimary object of the invention being the provision of alens grindingmachine of this character which is simple in construetion and which isthoroughly reliable and eliici-ent in operation.'

Another object of the present invention is the provisionfof a machinewherein the parts thereof are so arranged as to positively break up themovement between the lens and lap during the grinding operation,

' whereby the formation of wave surfaces or other imperfections upon thelenses are prevented.

A further object *of the present invention is the provision of meanswhereby the amount of pressure of the lens against the tool may bevaried, and to so construct thev machines as to permit of a directpressure of the lens against the tool irrespective of the curve thereon.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of elficientmeans for operating the machine and to provide means for readily andeasily placing the lens s o as to permit the same to bear directlyagainst the curve of the tool.

With the above and other objects in'view the invention consists in thenovel features of construction and the combination and arrangement ofpart-s liereinafter-more fully set forth in the specification, pointedout in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in' which: f

Figure i is a side elevation of a grinding machine constructed inaceordance wlth our invention, parts thereof being broken .away andillustrated 1n crosssection.

V Figure Il is a front elevation of my 1mprovedgrinding machine.

. Figure III isa detail. top plan View` Figure IV is a detail rearelevation. Figure V is a detail plan view illustrating the manner ofshifting the power belt.

Figure VI is a perspective view of the machine. y

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, wherein wehave illustrated the embodiment of our invention, the numeral 1indicates the base of the machine which as illustrated is of hollowformation and provided therein with a socket or bearing portion 2, inwhich is mounted the lower end of the spindle 3. As illustrated, thelower end of'the spindle ,3 is reduced as at 4 and adapted to lit withina bearing collar 5 to take up the wear within the socket 2. Thenpper endof the spindle is arranged within a bearing 6 formed in the cover 7 andthe extreme upper end of the spindle is reduced as at 8 and fittedwithin a socket in the lap support 9. Y The spindle 3 is retainedfinposition within the base by means of the threaded lug 1()v removablysecured in ithe lower end of the socket 2.

The supporting member 9 is provided with a stud 11 upon which the lap 12is mounted, a slot 13 being formed in the lap for engagement with a pin14 on the stud 11 to prevent rotation of the lap relative to the,

stud and to provide means whereby other laps may be readily and easilyapplied to the machine.

Arranged within the base 1 and keyed to the spindle 3 is a gear 15adapted to mesh with the gear 16 mounted. uponthe transverse shaft 17 tothus impart a rotating movement to the lap 12 through the spindle.Mounted upon the shaft 17 at one side of the base and arranged'exteriorly thereof is a pulley 18 connected by means of the belt 19 tothe pulley 20 secured to the shaft 21 carried by a swinging carriage.This can# riageconsists of a transverse bearing por-- tion 22 in whichthe shaft 21 is mounted and integrally connected with this bearing portion is an arm 23 keyed to a transverse shaft 24 which is mounted in thebase 1. The shaft 24 isrotated by means of a hand lever 25 secured toone end of the shaft wherebyl the actuation of said lever will raise andlower the outer end of the carriage, thus raising and loweringl theshaft 21. Thi` lever 25 is held in various adjusted posiadapted toengage with the-teeth of the rack i 27 carried by the base.

In order to impart movement to the var ions parts of the machine thepulley 281ssecured to the end -of the shaft opposite the pulley 18 andis connectedy to any suitable source of-power by means of the belt 29.The pulley 28 is keyedto the shaft 17, and loosely mounted upon theshaft adjacent the pulley 28 is a second pulley .30 whereby the powerbelt 29 can be readlly' shifted to this pulley 30 when it is desired tostop the movement of the machine. The belt 29l is shifted from-onepulley to the other by ,means of the'spaced arms 31 which are arrangedupon opposite sides of the belt and are carried by the bearing 32secured to the outer end of the longitudinally sliding shaft 33. Thisshaft 33 is connected at its central portion by means of an arm 34 toone end of a second shaft 35 which extends at right angles to the shaft33 and having its other end projecting out at the front of the base 1where a handle member 36 is secured thereto in order to impart movementto the shaft 33 and shift the belt 29 from one ulley to the other.

Rising .vertically from the rear portion of the base 1 is a'bracket 37having formed in the front face thereof the channel 38,'

and having communication with the said channel-and extending anysuitable distance throughout the width thereof is the slot 39 in whichisslidably mounted the supporting stud 40. The stud 40 is provided withinits head `41 with a threaded opening 42 throughwhich the screw shaft 43extends, said shaft having its ends mounted within the side walls of thebracket 37. A suitable guide-way 44 is provided for the jv head41'whereby upon rotation of the shaft 43 the stud 40vwill be movedlaterally within the slot 39. In order to rotate the shaft 43 We providea handle member 45 which is sc cured to one end thereof upon theloutsideA of one of the walls of the bracket.

The numeral 46 indicates the downwardly projecting bracket portion ofthe upper or head portion of the machine, which consists of the bodyportion 47 having extending outwardly therefrom the parallel arms 48provided with aligned bearing portions 49 dlsposed at the outer ends ofthe arms.

' Extending upwardly and. rearwardly from the bodyportion 47 is asupporting arm 50\ provided at its outer end with spaced ears 51. The uper ortion of .the machine wh1ch 1s in icate generally by the letter A,1s mounted for lateral swinging `move ment upon the pin 40,

-To lock the bracket 46 and head associated therewith in desiredangularly adjusted position we preferably make use ofthe bolt 52 havinga head bearing against the front plate 56 and bracket 46 mounted thereonthruthe screw 43 engaging the head 41 on the bolt 40, as clearlyillustrated in Figures I and IV, this adjustment slidingv the entireupper portion laterally with the bolt riding in the slot 53 of themember37. In this way both transverse and angling adjustments of the head maybe readily effected and the parts locked in finally adjusted position bytightening of the respective nuts.

Mounted within the bearings49 and normally disposed in a substantiallyvertical position is the upper or lens operating spindle 58, the upperend of which is enclosed within a casing 59. This casing 59 is suitablysupported upon the uppermost of the bearings 49 and provided at itsupper end with a removable top 60, whereby the spindle 58 may be movedfreely within the casing and not moved up through the upper end thereof.

The movement of the spindle is controlled by means of the lever 61, oneend of which is pivoted between the spaced ears 51 and the other endprovided with a handle member 62. The lever 61 is provided adjacent thehandle 62 with a yoke or ring member 94 which encircles the casing 59and' is connected to the upper end of the spindle 58 by means of pins 63on the thrust collar 100 rotatably held on the stud spindle member 93 asby thewasher 101 and dlock nut 102 whereby the shifting movement of thelever 61 will raise and lower the spindle 58. In

order to retainv the spindle in any desired shifted position we mountupon the lever 61 adjacent the handle 62, a sliding block 64 providedwith linger-pieces 65 whereby the saune may be readily actuated. Thelever4 at its outer end is provided with a cent-ral bore 66 and mountedtherein is a stud 67 'formed on the rear face of they catch 68, which.is movably mounted Within the block 64 and connected therewith by` meansof the screws 69.l Thecatch as i1- lustrated is provided with a seriesofvteeth Y v 125` adapted for engagement .with the teeth of a rack 70secure to one side of) the casing 59.'

From the above it will be r'e'adly apparent that when it is desired toshift the'spindle 58 eitherdirection the handlel 62 is grasped with twongeors engaging the iinemma ger-pieces'- 65 of the block and as the.-block is moved toward the handle it will disenga ethel teeth of thecatch from the rack anc permit nmvement;y ofthe lever and as soon as thenger-piecesjare releasedE the catch will be forced into contact with therack and securely hold the spindleinfits adjusted position. .tg willbenoted that in order to actuate the catch 68, we provide a coil spring 71which is arrangedwithin the bore. 66 and bearing against the stud-67 ofthe catch 68 whereby: to. force the teeth of they catch into engagementwith the. teeth of the rack.

In orderI` to impart a rotary movement to. the spindle 58, wemounti'upon the spindle between the bearings 49a pulley 72 which iskeyed to `the spindle whereby to permit the spindle to move therethroughbut-at the same time impart a rotary movement thereto. Movement isimparted to the pulley 72 through a belt 73 which extends around theulley 72 and outwardly and downwar ly, 'and thence around the pulley 74mounted upon the shaft 21. Secured to the rear face of the. body 47ofthe upper por` tion of-.the machine is a bracket 75 having two. spacedarms v76v-in the outer ends of which `a shaft 7 7 is mounted. bluitablevguide pulleys '48 are mounted on this shaft 77 overiwhichthe belt 73passes in order to transfer the position of the belt from a lon--gitudi-nal to a transverse position and from a transverse position toa.;longitudinal posi'tion.v llt will Ibe noted thatwhen it is desired toimpartmovement tothe spindle. 58 the swinging carriage is lowered by theshifting ofthe lever y25 in order that the belt 73 maybe tightenedaround the pul- P ley74.v Normally the carriage-is in a raised lposition and the pulley 74 runs loosely within the lowerloopof the belt73. lt will be noted thatthe main purpose of the raising and .loweringofthe swinging carriage is to apply a pressure uponthe belt 73 accordingto the `work whichis being done.

lnY order to maintain the belt 73 in its roper. positionweprovidetwoguide pulcysx 79.; which are .mounted 80 carriedbyan angularbracket 8l.This bracket 8l. isfbolted or otherwise secured to the base member. lbvmeans of the screw bolts 82. Itlwill. be noted that the pulleys y79. arearranged upon opposite sides of the innerstrand `ofthebeltl73 and guidethe samein .its movement between. the pulley 7 4 and lone ofthe pulleys78. From this it willbe apparent. that the shifting of the 'upperlsection. Anf .,the.,.machine will not ,interfere with the operation. of.the beltv 73, as it will. -be.;sepui;ely51, held. in; .position by upona shaftf chine, consists of a tubing member 83 mounted within thecasing84 and is provided at its lower end with a transverse opening 85in which one end of thc crank arm 86 is mounted. The. transverse endofthe arm 86.Wh-ich extends through the opening 83 maybe adjusted withinthis opening and is securely held in various adjusted positions by meansof the set screw 87. The arm 86. isprovided at its lower angular endvwith an engaging point 88 which engages withthe lens block 89, wherebyrotary movement of the spindle 83 will thus impart an advancing.co-nvolute movement tothe iensblock 89'.

' The. .pulley 72, which is mounted upon the casing84, is secured to thecasing and the spindle 83 whereby these members will rotate together bymeans of the key 90. This key 90 is provided with inwardly extendingportions 91 which engage Within suitable longitudinal slots 924 wherebyto permit the spindle 83 to be raised and lowered within' the casing 84without interfering with the rotary movement. The upper end of thespindle 83 isconnected to the operating lever 61 which raises and lowersthe spindle 83 by means of a movable connecting member 93 which isprovided with a thrust bearing 103 resting against the lshoulder 104 ofthe stud spindle 93, said bearingi including the ring 100 having thelaterally extending pins 63 secured to the yoke 94 which encircles thecasing 59. The lower end 'of the connecting member 93 is .fittedwithinthe spindle 83 and provided with a transverse pin 95, the ends ofwhich are adapted to fit within the oppositely disosed slots 96' formedwithin the hollow spindle 83, whereby the lower reduced end of theconnect-ing member 93: will be movable vithin the spindle 83 to thelength of the s ots..

When it is desired to lower the spindle so the point 88 will engage withthe lens block 89 the finger-pieces 65V are actuated,

against the tension of the spring-71 to disengage the catch member 68.from the rack 70. The lever 6l can then be moved down` wardly withrespect to the casing 59, which in turn will force the connecting member93 downwardly into the spindle member 83 and thev pressure against thecoil s ring97, which is arranged within the spin le 83, between the endof the connecting member and the lower en-d of the spindle, will tend toforce the spindle downwardly within the casin 84thus applying pressureto the lens bloc f 89, which is mounted upon the lap l2 for operation.The swinging carriage at the rear of the base is then.A lowered throughthe medium ofithe lever 25, whereby pres; surewill be applied to theplilley`7 3 to im.- part a rota movement to the spindle 83. Should itdesired to stop the operation of the machine without raising or loweringthe swinging carriage, the belt shifter can be operated to transfer thepower belt 29 from the pulley 31 to the pulley 30, whereby the movementof the machine can be readily stopped without operating the swingingcarj riage.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent that we have provided a simple anddurable lens grinding machine wherein the parts thereof are so arrangedas to positively break up the movement between the lens and lap duringthe grinding operation, whereby the formation of wave surfaces or otherimperfection upon thelenses will be prevented.

It will be noted from the accompanying drawings that the operation ofgrinding a lens upon our improved machine is .carried out as follows:`The lens is rst attached to the lens block 89 vand then placed inposition upon the lap 12. The spindle 83 is then lowered until the point88 of the arm 86 is engaged with the recess 98 formed in the lens block,and the pressure thereon may be adjusted through the medium of the coilspring 97 disposed within the spindle 83. The belt shifter is thenoperated to transfer the belt from the pulley 30 to the pulley f 31 tothus impart ifnovemetv to the shaft 17,

which in turn is connected with the shaft 21 through the medium of thebelt 19 and the pulleys 18 and 20. The swinging carriage 1s then.ylowered until suflicient pressure has been applied to the belt 73 sothat movement will be conveyed to the spindle 8 3 through the pulley 72.Should it be desired to apply greater pressure to the grinding of thelens on the'block 89 this may be done through the adjustment of thelever 61, and in order to provlde more power for this adjustmenttheswinging carrlage is adjusted accordingly by means of the lever 25. l

Claims:

1. lens surfacin machine, including a pair of opposed spindles, onecarrying a lap, with ay lens block thereon, the tether for rotating theopposed spindles simultane ously.

2. In a machine of the character -described, the combination with ahead,'of an extensible spindle slidable in the head, a Spingholdingrtheparts of the spindle in relatively extended position, a casing enclosingthe upper port-ion ofthe spindle, and adjusting mechanism shiftable onthe casing and inc-l'udin a yoke encircling the casing having portionsprojecting through the casing into engagement with the spindle forshifting-the latter.

3. In a machine'of the character described,the combination with ahead,.of a spindle slidably supported thereby, a casing on the headenclosing theupper portion of the spindle, said casing beingformed-'withlongitudinally extending slots, an adjust'- ing means for thespindlehaving a portion extending inwardly through` the slots, the

Ycasing being provided with a rack and the adjusting mechanism having aspring latch port-ion for cooperation with the rack to secure position.I

4. In a lens surfacing'machine thelcombination with a head, of a hollowspindle slidably mounted within the head, means for rotating thespindle, a compressible spring' for actuating the spindle in onedirection,` a controlling device therefor including a plungerl mem rhaving projecting pins, the spindle aving slots to receive the pinsconnectingrv the plunger and spindle for limited sliding movement, oneend of the actua-ting spring contacting with the plunger and the otherwith the spindle, and means for securing the plunger in desired adjustedposition to vary at will the position of the spindle or the comp-ression`ot' the spring 5. A machine of the character described including ahead, a hollow spindle journaled,l

in the head having intermediately slotted walls, an actuating springmounted within the hollow spindle, a plunger member itting the parts indesiredadjusted within the spindle and having pins sliding -in the slotsof the spindle for connecting the parts, a pivoted lever connected withVthe plunger, and means for locking the lever in desired adjustedposition to control the lposition of the plunger and parts associatedtherewith.

6. .In combination with a base and .lap

-of a lens surfacing machine, a lixed support mounted on the base, amovable 4head carried by the support, spaced armsl carrled by the head,a movable two part hollow spindle carried by said arms, a crankiarmcarr1ed by the lower part of the spindle, an actuating spring mountedwithin the spindle and being 'under com ression between the two parts ofthe spind e, and means for raising and lowering the spindle, said meansplacing the crank arm under spring pressure when in a lowered position.j

7. vA grinding machine including a. base having a rotatable'lap, withalens block lor holder thereon, a fixed support, a movable supportcarried by the fixed support and adapted for swinging angularadjustment, 'a

plunger,

tubular telescopic spindle carried by the movable support, a crank armat one end of the spindle, .a coil spring arranged within the spindleand between the telescopic menibers of the spindle, means for adjustingthe spindle longitudinally whereby to lower the spindle and at the sametime retain the crank'arrn under compression through the medium of thespring when in its lowered position, and vmeans for retaining theVlongitudinally adjustable spindle in a raised or lowered position.

8. A lenssurfacing machine including` a head1, a spindle slidably andl:rotatably mounted within the head, a plunger member associated withthe spindle for relative sliding movement with respect thereto, anactuating spring for the spindle adapted to be compressed by slidingmovement of the a lever pivoted to the head and having connection withthe plunger, a rack carried by the head, and a latch member on the leverfor adjustable engagement with the rack to lock the lever in desiredposition and secure the plunger in place.

9. A surfacing machine of the class described, including a base, arotating lap mounted thereon, and including'- a lens block or holder, abracket carried by the base, a movable vmember carried by the bracket, ahollow spindle1A opposed to the lap and carried by the movable memberand provided `with a crank arm at its lower end, a spring within thespindle, a second movable member having a sliding connection with thespindle, a compressionjspring disposed between said second movablememberand the spindle, a lever pivotally mounted upon the first movablemember' and connected with the second movable member and adapted 'formanual adjustment, whereby to raise and lower the spindle, and means forretaining the lever in a raised or lowered position.

l0. In a machine of the character described, the combination with ahead, of a spindle slidably mounted in the head, a casing enclosing thespindle. said casing having longitudinallyy extending slots formedtherein, a lever pivoted to the head and provided with a shift yokeembracing the casing, connections between" the shift yoke and spindle byway of theslots, and a resilient' locking device carried/by the yoke forengagement with the casing to secure the yoke and associated parts indesired relatively adjusted position.

l1. In a machine of the character described, the combination with ahead, of a spindle slidably mounted .in the head, a casing enclosing thespindle, said casing having longitudinally extending slots formedtherein, a lever pivoted to the head and provided with a shift yokeembracing the casing, connections between the shift yoke and spindle byway of the slots, .and a resilient locking device'carried by the yokefor engagement with the casing to secure the yoke and associated partsin desired v relatively O,

adjusted position, the casing having a rack portion tor engagement bysaid resilient locking device.

A machine ot the character described iiuzludiug opposed rotatable,spindles 'and means for driving the spindles, including a driving shaftoperatively associated with one of the spindles, a driven shaft, .a'beltconnectionbetween the driving anddriven shafts, and a .second beltconnection'b'etwe'en' the driven shaft and the other spindle, and a rockarm support for the driven shaft pivoted intermediate and slightly olfthe center line between the driven and driving shafts whereby rocking ofthe arm will slightly increase the distance between the driving anddriven shaft to slightly increase the tension on that connecting beltfor a given amount of movement while considerably increasing the tensionon the belt to the spindle, and,means for securing the rock arm invarious adjusted positions.

13. A lens surfacing machine, including a rotatable spindle, with a lapand lens block or holder associated therewith, a second sectionalspindle opposed thereto and )carrying a crank arm, said second spindleincluding a concentric sleeve portion, an actuating spring containedwithin the sleeve portion, and a plunger member slidable within thesleeve portion and engaging the spring,A expansion of the springactuating the crank arm against the irst mentioned spindle and in linewith the axis of the secthe spring, a pivoted yoke attached to the othersection for moving the spindle longitudinally of its aXis and aspring-pressed latch carried by the yoke to lock same in ladjustedposition.

15. In combination with themain frame and lap of a lens surfacingmachine, a spindle housing supported byl the frame, a tubular spindlemounted inthe housing and having a crank arm opposed to the lap,aplunger slidable in the'housin'g and having a reduced portionextendingl linto the tubular spindle, a compression spring with- 'n thespindle and' acting; against the plunger, a pivoted yoke surrounding thehousing and carrying the plunger, whereby to adjust the spindlelongitudinally, und u spring-pressed lockii'lg means carried by the yokeand adapted to engage sel-rations on the exterior of the housing.

16. In u lens surfacing machine, the coinbination with a pair of opposedspindles, of means for rotating the spindles simultaneously, one of thespindles carrying a lap with a, lensblock' thereon, the other consistingof'telescopical sections, a plunger mounted in and having a slidingconnection with one of the sections, the sliding connec- Y tionpreventing rotation of the plunger, a 15 spring contained within thespindle and coinprcssible by movement of the plunger in one directionwith respect tothe spindle, and means for shifting the plunger withrespect to the spindle. Y

In testimony whereof We have axed our signatures, in prese-nce of twowitnesses.

ALBERT E. MAYNARD. -WILLIAM A. GUNNING.

